Verbena plant named ‘RIKAV14704’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘RIKAV14704’, characterized by its compact, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; dark purple-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliar plane; and relative tolerance to powdery mildew.

Botanical designation: Verbena hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RIKAV14704’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘RIKAV14704’.

The new Verbena plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and Bonsall, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous and freely-branching Verbena plants with numerous flowers and tolerance to powdery mildew.

The new Verbena plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on May 5, 2010 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of Verbena hybrida ‘Lan Depur’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,606, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Verbena hybrida identified as code number 07V230-01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Verbena plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. on Jun. 9, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. since Jun. 10, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Verbena have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘RIKAV14704’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘RIKAV14704’ as a new and distinct Verbena plant:

-   -   1. Compact, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Freely flowering habit.     -   6. Dark purple-colored flowers that are held above and beyond         the foliar plane.     -   7. Relatively tolerant to powdery mildew.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Lan Depur’. Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of ‘Lan Depur’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are more freely branching than         plants of ‘Lan Depur’.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena and ‘Lan Depur’ differ in flower         color.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are more freely branching than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena have larger flowers than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena and the male parent selection         differ in flower color.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the Verbena hybrida ‘USBENAL25’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,683. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Verbena differed primarily from plants of ‘USBENAL25’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more compact than plants of         ‘USBENAL25’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Verbena were smaller than leaves         of plants of ‘USBENAL25’.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena and ‘USBENAL25’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘USBENAL25’ have dark violet-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Verbena plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Verbena plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘RIKAV14704’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘RIKAV14704’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late autumn in 11.4-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 21° C. to 38° C., night temperatures averaged 21° C. and light levels ranged from 7,000 to 10,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time at planting and were two months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida ‘RIKAV14704’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Verbena hybrida ‘Lan Depur’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,606.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Verbena hybrida identified as code number 07V230-01, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three days at             temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About four days at             temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 15 days at             temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 20 days at             temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, outwardly spreading and             mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with about             eight primary lateral branches developing per plant each             with numerous secondary branches; pinching enhances lateral             branch development; dense and bushy plant habit; vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 18.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 34 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 24 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Orientation.—Initially upright then outwardly spreading and             decumbent.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Pubescent; minute.         -   Color.—Close to 146C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 4.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Oblong to ovate.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Irregularly crenate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; coarse,             hirsute.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 147C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 148C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Sessile salverform flowers             arranged in compact hemispherical terminal racemes; flowers             face upward or outwardly; freely flowering habit with about             32 flowers developing per inflorescence and typically more             than 900 flowers per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             spring through the autumn in southern California; early             flowering habit, plants begin flowering about five weeks             after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 4.2 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5.4 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: Close to 187C.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2.5 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 1 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Tube diameter, proximal.—About 1.5 mm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals             fused towards the base into a narrow tube. Petal lobe             length: About 7 mm. Petal lobe width: About 5 mm. Petal lobe             shape: Roughly cordate. Petal lobe apex: Emarginate to             cordate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Throat texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color:             Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close to N79A. Petal,             when opening, lower surface: Close to N79B. Petal, fully             opened, upper surface: Close to N79A; color does not change             with development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close             to N79D; color does not change with development. Throat,             inner surface: Close to 195D. Tube, outer surface: Close to             186C flushed with close to N79D.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused sepals fused             towards the base into a slender tube. Sepal length: About             1.2 cm. Sepal width: About 1 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly             lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal             texture, inner surface: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal texture,             outer surface: Pubescent; minute. Sepal color, upper             surface: Close to 148C. Sepal color, lower surface: Close to             147B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement: Four             per flower, filaments are adnate to corolla tube. Filament             length, free section: About 1.5 mm. Filament color: Close to             145B. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther             color: Close to 146D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             Close to 151C. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil             length: About 1.8 cm. Stigma shape: Rounded, bi-parted.             Stigma color: Close to 146C. Style length: About 1.4 cm.             Style color: Close to 146D. Ovary color: Close to N144A.             Fruits and seeds: Fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Verbena. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 1° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have been     observed to be relatively tolerant to powdery mildew. Plants of the     new Verbena have not been observed to be resistant to pests and     other pathogens common to Verbena plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘RIKAV14704’ as illustrated and described. 